Liberate Te Ex Inferis
by Drifts
Summary: A young woman is hardened after the loss of both her parents to the incurable Rhydon-Virus. With the help of two old friends, she takes it upon herself to take down a maniacal liberty operation and finds the true reason to "Liberate Yourself From Hell."
1. Chapter 001: Towards Beyond

**CHAPTER 001: TOWARDS BEYOND**

_I don't own Pocket Monsters or Nintendo. What would make you think I did? Starts out slow, give it a chance._

* * *

><p><strong>"U<strong>gh, it's so BORING here."

Whined a teenage girl, her slender legs pressed up against the wall as she laid on her bed. She was staring at the ceiling, trying to make something out of the uneven texture.

It was a weekend, and school was not in session at this time. Well past the age of becoming a Pokémon trainer, plus the added stress of being a professor's daughter, the girl lived a semi-irregular life in a small town.

"Mmph." Mumbled a slightly older boy sitting at the opposite end of the bed. He was in the process of lighting up a cigarette, seeming quite un-amused himself.

"Look, even our Pokémon are bored!" The girl laughed, still on her back, turning her attention to the two little inanimate creatures on the white carpet, then turning her attention back to her friend.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? How many times have I told you that you can't smoke in my house, Kenta!" She suddenly propped up as the smell of burning nicotine filled her nostrils.

"My mom is going to KILL YOU and use your remains for research! And I won't protest, by the way. In fact, I will _suggest_ it." The girl slapped the strong arm of her friend, who just smirked at her in response, his dark hair practically covering his eyes.

"Chill out Chiasa, I need to find something to do with my time. It's so boring here, you said it."

"Grr…" Chiasa lowered her large, chocolate colored eyes at Kenta, knowing she couldn't do a damn thing to change his mind. "Fine, but at least go outside or something, I don't want you making my little snivy sick. If you do I'm asking mom to turn you into a Pokémon, got it?"

The small, snake like creature propped it's head up, wondering what the fuss was all about. The other one, a round being with an uncanny pig-like resemblance, grumbled as it rolled on it's back.

"How considerate of you." Kenta derided sarcastically as he sat up from the bed and stretched, his dark attire mirroring his personality.

"CHIASA, ARE YOU THERE? COME DOWNSTAIRS, PLEASE!" A soft female voice hollered from below, resonating with some form of urgency.

Chiasa jumped off the bed, startled, and peeked around her doorway.

"What? Who could that be? My mom should be at work, it can't be her." Chaisa said quietly to Kenta, who simply shrugged.

"I'm coming!" She shouted in response, then started heading down the stairs.

_What the hell is going on? My mom never usually comes home at this hour. Could it be Grandpa? Did something happen? _Chiasa worried to herself, unbeknownst of what awaited her on the floor below.

The home was of a modest size, with only two bedrooms upstairs. To the right of the downstairs entrance, there was the kitchen, in which a petit lady in a lab coat stood.

"Fennel! What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Is my mom okay? It isn't my grandpa, is it?" Chiasa worriedly ran over to the amicable looking woman with the lengthy, blue black hair.

"Oh, Everything is fine! Just fine. I was actually sent over here by Professor Juniper. She wanted me to tell you something." Fennel smiled and pushed her square glasses closer to her face. Chiasa looked at her in bewilderment as she continued on.

"Do you remember anyone by the name of Azumi, by any chance?"

"Azumi?" Chiasa blinked. "Azumi. Um, well…" She thought back for a moment, then jumped up excitedly.

"Actually, yes, I do! She was a childhood friend of Kenta's and mine! We were like the three musketeers! Oh and those eyes, I can never forget those bright blue eyes…" Chiasa shook her head, puzzled, her soft brunette hair falling against her face. "But I haven't seen her since we were so young. What can this have to do with anything?" She brushed the hair out of the way, and readjusted her cream colored-headband.

"Unfortunately, it turns out that her parents passed away, even after moving out to Black City to find a cure for the Rhydon-virus. She's coming back here to Nuvema and your mother has offered for her to stay with you guys for a while."

"Wait… seriously? I mean… that is so heartbreaking… but, really?" Chiasa had a confused look of excitement and mourning on her face, though mostly the former.

"Yes it is quite distressing." Fennel looked away forlornly for a moment, her kind eyes softening. "You will have to pick her up from the train station in Nacrene about an hour, she'll be waiting for you there."

"Oh... I mean, I know I haven't seen her in years, and all, but I'm sure she will be easy to pick out in the crowd!"

"Your mother has told me to warn you that grief has changed her. She looks different than you remember."

"Oh, pfft even so, I can recognize those baby blues anywhere! Most people in Unnova have boring old dark eyes like us, am I right? Um, I'm joking of course… heh… oh! I better go upstairs and get my snivy… and tepig and Kenta too of course, since I'll need his car and stuff. Finally I have an excuse to get Kenta out of my house, damn freeloader!" Chiasa winked at her mother's trusted friend and top lab assistant, then ran upstairs hurriedly to deliver the good news to Kenta.

"I'm coming upstairs Kenta! If you're still smoking in my room I'm going to have my snivy SHANK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!"

Looks like it wasn't going to be another boring Saturday, after all.

* * *

><p>"What's going on?"<p>

Kenta asked coolly, still standing in the same corner by the window as he was before, hands in his pockets. He was rather tall, so the short, peaked ceilings nearly brushed against the top of his head. The two Pokémon were still half awake on the floor.

"We're going on an adventure!" Chiasa stated enthusiastically, grabbing her shoulder bag off the bed, along with her keys and other effects. "Oh, we need your car for this adventure, FYI."

"To where? Your mom's lab? Very funny." Kenta stated without laughing. "We don't need my car for that."

"Do you remember Azumi?" Chiasa stopped fussing around and looked at Kenta in the eye.

"How should I know? You're the only person I don't hate, and by don't hate, I mean I let you live."

"VERY FUNNY KENTA. Seriously, though. Think back to days before you became a smoking addict. Unless you were born with a cigarette in your mouth. I wouldn't be surprised." Chiasa scoffed sarcastically, putting one hand on her hip.

"Hmm…" Kenta looked like he actually cared for a second, but only for a second. "Nope, I have no idea."

"Ugh." Chiasa rolled her eyes and then continued fumbling around. "Remember when we were little kids? Azumi was the other girl we used to play with, until she had to move away. Her parents were ill. She had blue eyes, which was unusual. C'mon, you have to remember!"

"Hmm…" Kenta pursed his lips together. "Yeah, I sort of remember her, miraculously. What does that have to do with me?"

"She's coming to stay with me. Her parents passed away. And WE are going to go get her! HAH!" Chiasa laughed defiantly, then picked up her unaware snake Pokémon, who was resting contently on her floor. "Come on snivy, we're getting out of my room for once."

"That's terrible, but still, I'm not going anywhere." Kenta plopped down on the bed.

"I'm going to make your favorite meal tonight if you go with me…" Chiasa taunted Kenta. Guys were always motivated by a small list of things, even in the world of Pokémon. Food was one of those things.

Kenta cocked an eyebrow, then sat up again.

"Fine. Let's go."

* * *

><p>At the train station, it was surprisingly busy. People and their Pokémon were coming in and out, out and in. Chiasa was thankful she made a little "welcome home Azumi!" sign attached to her snivy<em>. What? It was a cute way to get someone's attention! <em>Kenta followed behind quietly, his tepig at his feet.

"Okay so she should be getting off at this platform here…" Chiasa came to a halt. "…Thanks to you, Slower than Slowpoke, we just barely made it, so we shouldn't be waiting here too long."

Kenta scoffed in reply. He wasn't exactly one for words. _A trillion other people were wasting their breath as it was, so why should he add on to the pollution?_

"Wait, here it comes!" Chiasa grabbed on to Kenta's arm tightly as a very modern looking shuttle halted a few feet away from them.

People started to pour out one by one. One of the people, a young woman, stepped out slower than the others, looking like the life had been sucked out of her eyes. She turned and looked directly at Chiasa and Kenta, and halted a few feet in front of them, staring quietly.

"Wait… no… that can't be…" Chiasa whispered in disbelief as she looked at the figure before her.

She had remembered a young girl who had been full of energy and was always smiling. What she saw was the complete opposite. Her old friend was wearing black tennis shoes, light blue tattered jean shorts, and a long, sleeveless black shirt vest. She had black and silver bangles on her left hand, and black nail polish. Her right arm was covered in tattoos of legendary dragon type Pokémon, her hair was long, straight, and black, with unruly bangs, and she was extraordinarily pale. She had an absol, a dark-type Pokemon found only in the very northern part of Unnova, by her side. _But it was the eyes… the same, light blue eyes… yes, it was definitely Azumi. No doubt about it._

"Um…" Chiasa looked back at Kenta, who just watched Azumi inaudibly. She then started smiling again and ran over to her old friend with excitement.

"IT'S BEEN FOREVER AND FOREVER! You sure do look different! But you're still... um... beautiful... uh... as always? Heh. Anyways… uh, are you hungry? I'll bet you're hungry. I've turned into quite the cook these days! What's your favorite meal? I bet I can make it! And even if I can't, I will learn! Do you like the sign Snivy and I made for you? Oh this is Sage, the snivy, by the way! I think she likes you! My mom became the town professor you know, so this was a gift, and Kenta got that other one over there, his name is Tripper! AREN'T THEY CUTE!" Chiasa practically screamed, rushing all around Azumi and her Absol in a torrent, "And, who is this? I didn't know you were bringing someone! Well! Hello, little Pokémon, what's your name? Oh… please don't bare your teeth at me… heh…"

Azumi simply looked at Kenta in the eye, though he was unable to read any emotions from her.

"I bet she's tired from her trip, Chiasa." Kenta stated suddenly, walking over to the pair. He grabbed Azumi's only suitcase, for she didn't have much other than that. Azumi nodded in thanks, and clutched onto her black backpack. Chiasa blinked.

"Well look at who is the gentleman all of a sudden!" She bellowed, then turned back to her old friend, and whispered. "Don't let him fool you, he is totally NOT. We can let him think he is though."

Azumi managed to feign a thin smile, but continued staring ahead, still refusing to speak. Kenta and Tripper the tepig walked ahead, Azumi's black metal suitcase dragging behind them, it's rackety wheels making clanking sounds with each hollowed step.

Clank, clank, clank...

**_Time for a fresh start._  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em><strong>T<strong>HIS STORY IS BASED OFF THE BLACK AND WHITE GAME, LOOSELY. I HAVE ALSO CHANGED THE STORY LINE UP A BIT (IN THE GAME JUNIPER ISN'T ANYONE'S MOTHER REALLY, BUT WHATEVER IT'S MORE INTERESTING THIS WAY. NOT CANON? IDGAF, COOL). THERE WILL BE BATTLES, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE TYPICAL "CHALLENGE DA GYM AND BECOME A THUPER DUPER MASTER BREH" YOU WON'T FIND THAT IN THIS STORY. NAH. THIS AFTER THE PURSUIT OF TEAM PLASMA, N, AND SOME BADASS LEGENDARY DRAGON POKEMON._


	2. Chapter 002: Terrible Certainty

**CHAPTER 002: TERRIBLE CERTAINTY**

* * *

><p><strong>"S<strong>he still hasn't said a single word."

Chiasa was rather busy broiling an evening meal on the stove, but it didn't stop her from running her mouth.

"I mean, you at least think that she would say thank you, or SOMETHING. Right? So she's tired and depressed, whatever. We're her friends. We're here for her to talk to! Right? I mean, even _you _manage to speak more words in a single hour more than she does in a day. That's not saying much. Right?"

Kenta smirked at the irony of her statement.

"Well, at least our Pokémon are getting some attention. They sure seem to like her." He was leaned against the counter next to his cooking friend, arms and legs crossed, staring out at Azumi pensively through the sliding glass doors.

_I wonder what she's thinking._

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Azumi was outside on the grass, stretched out on her back, staring at the sky. Sage was curled up on her stomach, and Tripper was snuggled up by her side. Zukua the Absol kept a close eye on the foreign Pokémon, standing a few feet away.<p>

The Juniper family home looked out over hills upon hills of green. It wasn't quite sunset yet; the clouds had barely began to show a pale yellow looming above the heavens. The atmosphere still mostly radiated a clear blue pallor, and a soft wind blew softly against the blades of grass.

_Mom and Dad, are you out there? Are Zekrom and Reshiram looking out over you?_ Azumi watched the clouds: their movements were minimal, for it was the perfect autumn afternoon. Children were playing with their Pokémon on the fields below, their parents laughing heartily while enjoying a picnic.

Suddenly, Sage shot up from her nap, and jumped off of Azumi's stomach, running over to Tripper. The Pokémon started whining and running in circles, almost as if they were trying to catch their own tails. Fear welled up in their widening eyes. Zukua stepped back a few inches, and started doing what he did best: growling.

The wind started to pick up, and the skies turned dark and tempestuous. The long grass started swaying violently, nearly slicing Azumi's arms with the precision and velocity of a scizor. Through the torrential clouds, a black figure manifested, hovering directly above Azumi. It's eyes were glowing with the brightness of the sun itself. It looked down upon the girl below, it's blinding light filling up her entire line of view…

And then, as if it had never happened, the skies were picturesque and clear again.

* * *

><p>"Huh? What's going on?" Kenta stated as he saw the two little Pokémon scratching desperately at the back door.<p>

The door slid open, and Sage and Tripper rushed inside as if they'd never been so happy to see a kitchen in their life. They both hid under the dark wooden dining table, still quivering in fear. Azumi slumped in behind them, looking quite shaken herself. Her absol trailed at her feet, silently taking in his surroundings, and the recent events of the afternoon.

"Is everything okay?" Kenta straightened himself out, looking at Azumi with genuine concern.

She started to walk away, then abruptly changed her mind and stopped in her tracks.

"Well… if it wasn't for the fact that I was so tired… I swore that…"

"So she speaks!" Chiasa exclaimed tauntingly, still facing her cooking station, where she was now slicing up some meat. Kenta ignored her and continued to pry.

"Well what? You swore what?"

Azumi looked away from his eyes and gazed at the floor. "Well… I swore that… that I saw Zekrom in the sky!" She shot her head up quickly, glaring at the pair of teenagers in front of her with wide eyes.

"WHAT!" Both Kenta and Chiasa shrieked in unison. Chiasa loudly dropped her knife on the counter, making a loud clinking sound. She turned around for the first time since Azumi had come inside, and shot her an angry leer.

"There's no way you saw fucking Zekrom. That's the stuff of Legends!" Chiasa paused, and then returned to her cooking, cutting the meat with swift fury. "Besides, even if they did exist, which they totally DON'T... what would a legendary be doing here in our little town? You're definitely just tired. That shit isn't funny. Cut it out."

Azumi's gaze trailed back to the floor, and her solemn state returned in her eyes. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. I think I'm going to go lie down." As she and her own Pokémon started to walk towards the stairs, Tripper and Sage ran out from under their hiding place, trailing at their feet.

Kenta looked at his usually cheery friend in surprise. "Chiasa…" He then glanced at Azumi, whose lanky figure was starting to disappear up the staircase.

"Hey, dinner is almost ready, aren't you hungry?"

Azumi looked back. She was smiling kindly, but her eyes weren't. "No, thank you. I really just need to rest right now."

* * *

><p>"It's such a shame Azumi didn't want to join us for dinner. I brought her back a gift from the lab."<p>

Three people sat at the dining table, enjoying their meal quietly, yet calmly and contently. At the head of the table sat a woman with a very professional demeanor, her pulled back brown hair lightened by some grays coming in. She was still in her lab coat, but didn't seem to mind this fact. She ate her meal without looking up, her eyes closed in repose, almost as if she didn't have much time to devote to relaxing and simple pleasures.

To her left sat her daughter, who was being unusually moody this evening. The girl growled and threw down her utensils, nearly spilling her dinner all over her white cable knit sweater.

"You know what? I just don't care. I really just don't give a damn. You know why? We go out of our way to pick her up and bring her into our home. Then, I slave away in the kitchen for the rest of the entire afternoon, and what do we get? What do _I_ get? No thanks. None at all. Not even a single word. Not a "hello there!" or "wow it's been so long, it's really great to see you!" NO NOTHING, NOT AT ALL! AND THEN, ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT AUTOMATICALLY OUR POKEMON LIKE HER BETTER THAN US WITHOUT EVEN TRYING, THE FIRST THING SHE SAYS… YOU WANT TO KNOW THE FIRST THING SHE SAYS? SHE FUCKING SAYS SHE SEES A FUCKING ZEKROM IN OUR BACKYARD. OH YEAH, LIKE, A LEGENDARY JUST TOTALLY WALKED UP AND INTRODUCED ITSELF. TOTALLY!"

Chiasa's face was bright red with rage. Without looking at the surprised faces of her dinner guests, she calmly picked her utensils back up, and started cutting up her food. The red form her face started to dissipate as she heavily exhaled.

"So that, ladies and gents, is why I don't mind that she skipped eating with us this evening. More for us!" She chuckled as she shoved a spoonful of meat and noodles into her mouth.

"Actually, that is quite possible." Her mother interjected. "This is worse than I thought." She mumbled the last part quietly to herself.

"Huh?" Chiasa and Kenta immediately stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, than back at Professor Juniper. Professor Juniper sighed in response.

"Well there have been some rumors floating around the office that Reshiram has been captured…"

Juniper glanced at the stunned faces before her. She then paused, as if to think carefully about what she was about to say next.

"I didn't believe them, naturally. Even though there is little proof to prove legendaries even exist in our world, there is even fewer evidence that humans have ever been able to interact with such malevolent beings. Folklore, of course, says that Zekrom and Reshiram were in fact, enemies, sworn to opposing brothers fighting for different causes. Of course, after creating a new world, they returned into stone form, never to be awoken again. However…"

"But what?" Chiasa and Kenta's mouths were practically dragging on the table. How could any of this be true? This wasn't what they had heard as kids! Was everything they knew a lie?

Juniper rubbed her chin. "Well… it turns out that in reality, according to my research anyway, though it's hard to back funding for legendary research, that they are in fact… one in the same. If Reshiram is really missing then… well… Zekrom must be out searching for it."

On the other side of the wall, Azumi sat at the top of the staircase, petting her devoted Zukua. Both Sage and Tripper were behind her, peeking around the corner of Chiasa's bedroom curiously. Azumi listened to the gasps and silence that followed after Professor Juniper's statement, as a small smile crept from her face for the first time.

* * *

><p><strong>C<strong>hiasa fumbled around in the dark, struggling to button her oversized night top. She didn't want to turn on the lights and wake Azumi, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully in a purple sleeping bag next to her bed, especially after the guilt that welled up in her after her mother's confession.

_I didn't mean to be so damn harsh! I know the girl is going through a tough time, I obviously couldn't imagine life without mom and grandpoppy, but, where was the common courtesy of a thank you? Were her parents too ill to teach her manners? No, no, I can't think this way. It's been a tough day. All I need to do is sleep it all off and tomorrow is a new…_

"Hey, how was dinner? I'm sorry I didn't join you guys, I was just so exhausted from travelling."

"GAH! THE FUCK…" Chiasa nearly flew onto her bed at the response of the talking sleeping bag. After realizing it was only Azumi, she sighed in relief and looked out her window as her eyes started to adjust. A dark violet light crept in through the blinds, which were pulled down, but still open.

The truth was, Azumi hadn't been asleep for a while. _After hearing the conversation between Chiasa and her mom, she knew for sure she had seen Zekrom. Actually, she had never really doubted it, but…_

"You know, it's so beautiful here. So calm, so peaceful…" Chiasa trailed off and looked down at Azumi, who was looking back up at her kindly.

"You hungry by any chance? We have tons of leftovers!"

* * *

><p>The two girls sat at the table, enjoying a still delicious meal of noodles, meat, and vegetables. Sage sat at the girls feet, hoping she might get a berry or two for being cute. Zukua glared at the snivy, salivating, hoping he could eat her instead. Chiasa stared intently at the tattoos on Azumi's right arm as Azumi ate her meal, unawares.<p>

"Your tattoos are very interesting, you know. They're all legendaries, aren't they?"

Azumi stopped eating for a moment, curled her knee up to her chest, then turned her attention to her own arm. "Well… yes and no. They are all dragon types, some legendary, others are just the most evolved form of the dragon type, with the exception of this Dragonair here." She pointed to a spot on her arm where a beautifully colored Dragonair looked like it was swimming up past her elbow.

"Oh, I see!" Chiasa viewed the heavily detailed artwork in awe. "So you have Dragonair there… then Salamence, Druddigon, Latias, Latios, Dialga, Palkia, Giritania, Rayquaza, and then…"

Chiasa looked up at Azumi's face before she mentioned the last ones she saw, as Azumi had clutched that part of her arm as if it were in pain.

"…Reshiram and Zekrom."

Chiasa sat back in her seat and folded her arms comfortably. Azumi stopped clutching the tattoos of Reshiram and Zekrom so forcefully, but still held on to that spot of her arm anyway.

"So… what is it about Dragon types anyway? I mean you obviously like them, but, why the need to devote an entire limb of your arm to them?" Chiasa at least expected a chuckle out of Azumi, but Azumi remained solemn.

"I've always felt some sort of connection to Dragon Pokémon. Well… all Pokémon really…" Azumi trailed off as Sage jumped into her lap and nuzzled against her chest. "There's just something very elegant about the Dragon type. Elegant, mysterious… and then, an element of danger…"

Chiasa looked at Azumi with a stunned expression, but quickly started to giggle. "Okay now, let's not get all serious on me here. The middle of the night isn't the time for that shit."

Chiasa started to search around in her pocket, and then pulled something out and held it in her hand. "Here, my mom brought this home for you. You can thank her tomorrow."

"What is it? I've never seen it before." Azumi started to trail off as she looked at the strange, tablet resembling object in her hands.

"How the hell should I know? My mom's the professor, not me. Apparently there were two fossils in the Relic Castle, out past Nacrene where we picked you up earlier." Chiasa stated as she finished up the rest of her late night snack. "She received two from a backpacker exploring the place, but my mom said she really only needed one for research. I mean, I doubt it can be restored or anything, but you can frame it or something? Sell it on the black market? Hell, I won't tell on you."

Sage jumped off Azumi's lap and started to follow Chiasa to the sink as she cleaned out her bowl. Zukua was hoping Chaisa would start boiling Sage. He wasn't a fan of berries, like most Pokémon were. He drooled, craving a certain grass type Pokemon.

"Whatever, you better get a tattoo of my mom's face on your other arm after this! Let's go back to bed, shall we?" Chiasa wiped off her hands on her bare legs, smiling kindly.

This time, Azumi chuckled, and the pair went up stairs, Zukua dejected that he wasn't going to get to eat anything but berries tonight.

* * *

><p>"Aw man, why doesn't Azumi have to go to school and learn about shit that we already know about? I'm a professors daughter, doesn't that automatically mean I pass at life? I already know this crap. Plus we have to wear these ugly ass uniforms…" Chiasa groaned as Kenta helped her put on her backpack.<p>

Professor Juniper chuckled as she, Azumi, and the three Pokémon sat in the kitchen. It was early in the morning, and the Professor decided to go into work late on this particular day.

"So this is what I miss all those mornings when I have Kenta bring you to school? Gee, looks like I don't have to have mother's guilt any longer. I'm starting to have guilt for Kenta now." She joked as her daughter continued to bitch and moan about everything.

"Whatever mom, thanks for nothing!" Chiasa joked as everyone else continued to tease her. She ran over to her mom and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you, I'll see you later."

Her and Kenta started to walk out the door. "Bye Azumi!" Chiasa waved enthusiastically. "Have fun playing with the Pokémon, you Lucky Psyduck!"

The door shut, and the faint sound of Kenta's car could be heard driving away. The Professor sipped on her coffee with the same look of utter serenity from the previous night. She usually never had time like this to sit and enjoy her morning rituals. However, she wasn't doing this because she needed it. She had a purpose, no, a mission.

She glanced over at Azumi, who was staring despondently off into the distance. Even though she seemed grateful for everything the Juniper family had done for her, she still couldn't shake the overwhelming loss she had suffered. Juniper smiled kindly.

"You know, Azumi… I'm very happy you are the one who can take care of that fossil. Maybe you can even find a way to get it restored somehow."

Azumi shot her head up and gave a questioning glance. Her absol, who was sitting loyally by her side, sniffed the tablet, and started to lick it. It tasted like dust, not like how he imagined Sage the snivy would taste. He gagged slightly.

"We haven't seen each other in years, I know. You may not even remember me, you were so young." Juniper set down her coffee cup and folded her arms across the table. "I was very close with your parents. They were such wonderful people. So adventurous and brave. I can see the same traits in you. The same magnetic qualities that drew people and Pokémon alike to their side."

Azumi looked at her Pokémon, and then at Kenta and Chiasa's Pokémon, who were glued to her feet, looking up at her expectantly. Ever since her parents had passed, it seemed like all the life had been sucked out of her. She rarely joked around, she rarely smiled. She only seemed to enjoy the company of these little creatures that held so much power. Ironically, the same beings that ended up being the demise of her own parents lives made her still feel connected to them somehow in her own waking life.

"I know you aren't feeling like yourself lately. It's perfectly understandable. Hopefully your new friends will help you connect back to the person you still are and always were deep down inside." Juniper reached across the table and touched Azumi's hand.

Azumi flinched, for she wasn't a huge fan of physical contact, even with the best intentions.

"I have to be honest with you…" Azumi drew her hand back, and looked at the Professor sheepishly, "… I overheard the dinner conversation last night. So it is true. I really did see Zekrom."

"So it is." Professor Juniper folded her arms again. She had forgotten about her coffee right now. Business had started. "That's good then, I thought I was going to have to tell you myself. What do you think about all this, Azumi?"

"You know… I think…" Azumi paused, her voice suddenly losing it's normally muted demeanor, "I think that someone should go searching for Reshiram, and find out what happened!"

Professor Juniper nodded in concurrence, as the three Pokémon started chattering in unison.

"And I think… that person…" Azumi clenched her fists in determination.

**_"Should be me."_**

* * *

><p><em><strong>W<strong>hat kind of meat do they eat in Pokemon? Doesn't anyone ever wonder that? _

_Also, Zukua, the name of Azumi's absol, is Hebrew for "Shadow" and "Darkness." I'm Swedish, but that's beside the point. Kewl._


	3. Chapter 003: The Redeemer's Return

**CHAPTER 003: THE REDEEMER'S RETURN**

* * *

><p>"<strong>I<strong>t is time, sir."

An elderly man stepped out of the grim shadows; he, one in the middle of a circle of seven men, held an opulent crown loosely in his outstretched hands. The golden encrusted coronet seemed to nearly sink in the cracks of his fine wrinkled palms.

"Excellent. Our Lord shall be pleased."

Another man, much younger in age yet still not youthful, gently lifted the important object from the other. His face was covered in shadow, besides a small, almost conniving smirk that was clear to the eyes of all who beheld him.

The circle of the seven dissipated, splitting in half to clear a pathway for the one in shadows. His ornate coat dragged behind him as he slowly walked up the steps ahead, being careful not to drop what he held in his hands. A monster with three heads floated at his side, staring blankly into the depths of the room.

The long, wide, and straight stairway narrowed slightly with each march upward; atop the steps was a rather lavish throne where a young man sat with his legs crossed. His face, albeit beautiful, held only a bitter expression behind it as he gazed upon the figure kneeling before him.

"Are you finally ready to be crowned our King?"

* * *

><p>"I think… that person should be me."<p>

Azumi looked at the professional woman across from her dead in the eye, her fists trembling against the dining table from being clenched too hard.

Professor Juniper sighed. She had anticipated this response from the troubled young woman before her. Even though it was a difficult feat, even for the most hardened and skilled trainers in the region, she knew Azumi felt like she had nothing to lose.

_The cost might be her life._

"Azumi… now… that is quite noble of you, but… do you even know what level your absol is? His move set? His stats? You don't own any other Pokémon. Have you ever been in a battle with a trainer, let alone, a wild Pokémon?"

Juniper frowned with the utmost concern, then continued after seeing no reaction from the eighteen year old before her, "Don't you realize legendaries only present themselves to those who not only possess extreme amounts of strength, but have a barrage of Pokémon with which they have founded unbreakable bonds with for the course of many years of training?"

Azumi didn't falter. Her intense focus into Juniper's eyes never backed down. "Zekrom showed itself to me. It looked… it looked into my soul. I felt… in that moment… as if I were one with it."

"I realize. However, that doesn't mean you need to go out and risk your life searching for something that doesn't even merit a solid guarantee." Juniper sent Azumi a sympathetic look, "I understand you feel an obligation, why, you may even feel _chosen_. Without your family, you feel as if you can take any risks in the world. You think that no one will suffer if something happens to you. But, why on Unnova, Azumi, when you have a safe place here and people who actually _do_ care about your well-being, would you want to leave and risk it all? Winter is upon us soon, and what will you and your Pokémon do then? How will you fare in the feat of unstable weather patterns, harsh wilderness and volatile, wild Pokémon… all by yourself? Is that even… why, is that even realistic?"

Azumi narrowed her brow, looking at the table, speaking softly with growing emotion. "You think I can't handle myself, all alone? How do you think I grew up, with two bed-ridden parents who slowly decayed, day by day? Do you think I could witness anything more terrifying then my mother's legs completely sinking into the abyss of her sheets, inch by inch, or my father bleeding from every orifice in his fragile body? I am not afraid of death. Neither is Zukua." Azumi dug her long fingernails fiercely into her still clenched palm, little lines of blood filling her nail beds. Her absol remained stoic as always, willing to do anything for someone in his pack.

Juniper heaved a heavy breath. Slight creases starting to form at the corners of her lips, her eyes, as she rubbed her fingers across her temples.

"All I can do for you is run a stat test on your Absol and start you out with some provisions I believe you'll need for your journey. I know I cannot stop you, but, I felt as if I had to at least try."

Juniper stood up slowly, her gaze trailing to the floor. Her heart felt heavy. She couldn't help but feel as if she needed to stop the naïve girl from making a terrible mistake, but she knew her words fell upon deaf ears. She started to walk away, then turned around, pausing in the doorway.

"I must to go to work now, but please, come stop by my office when you are ready. I would pack light if I were you: this isn't going to be a one stop trip."

* * *

><p>"What's going on?"<p>

Chiasa exclaimed in surprise as she saw Azumi quietly packing up the few items she owned into her black backpack.

"Are you planning on going somewhere? Do you want me to go with you?"

Chiasa had just come home from school and had gone up to her room to put her things away. She sure didn't expect to see someone else doing the same exact thing (on a much larger scale) of course.

Azumi silently finished gathering together the last of her possessions; it was tough for her to decide what was absolutely necessary to take, for she didn't know how long she would be on the road. She stood up, never taking her gaze off the floor.

"Wait a minute… are… are you leaving? Wait! You're leaving already? But-But- you just got here!"

Chiasa's mouth practically dragged on the floor as Azumi and Zukua somberly started to walk out of the room. Chiasa stood still for a minute, disgruntled, then huffed in frustration and chased after Azumi down the stairs.

"You know, you make it incredibly hard for anyone to like you!" Chiasa shouted angrily, stopping just beneath the staircase.

Sage was trying to keep up with her onwer, wondering what the fuss was all about. They both watched on, astonished, as Azumi and Zukua continued to slowly make their way to the door.

Azumi turned around to face Chiasa and Sage one last time, a soft expression in her eyes.

"Thank you for all you've done. I must be going now. I hope you have a wonderful life."

With that she and her absol walked out the door, leaving a very confused seventeen year old in the dust.

Chiasa was completely beside herself with resentment, bewilderment, and… well, practically any negative emotion one could possibly come up with. She became even more infuriated as she watched her little snivy run to the door and relentlessly cry in front of it, hoping their new friend would come back.

Chiasa heatedly pulled her PokeGear out of her short pockets, nearly ripping the threads that held her chestnut colored bottoms together. She feverishly dialed a number, almost making the buttons pop off the device, and held it tightly to her ear, scowling.

"Get your ass over here now. Shits hit the fan."

* * *

><p>"If you were one of the regular ten year olds who came to see me prior to starting out on their journey, this is what I would give you."<p>

Professor Juniper turned her back to Azumi as she pulled a couple of items out from a metal drawer. The lab wasn't very large, much like anything in the entire town: the room they were in on the right held many storage compartments, a few computers, and a couple seating areas. The room to the left of them was Juniper's main office, which held a single, large operating machine and the motherland PC.

She turned around and handed Azumi ten Pokeballs, a Town Map, a few potions, a PokeGear, and a PokeDex.

Juniper pointed to the last item she had handed to Azumi, "I know you aren't planning to take on any gym leaders or the Elite Four like most. However, in the case you do come across any legendaries or Pokemon outside of Nuvema, not only would it be very helpful to me if you used this device for my research, but I believe it would benefit you on your journey."

Azumi nodded, and stuffed the items (sans PokeDex) into her backpack. Zukua was sniffing out his surroundings, hoping he might find a Pokemon stuffed away that he could snack on. Juniper noticed this and went over the the unexpecting absol. He jumped as the professor approached him. She mentioned to Azumi to borrow the device, then proceeded to show her how to utilize it.

"The way you use the PokeDex is quite simple. See, you take this portion here…" she tilted the device down, showing a small camera at the top, "…and then slowly scan it across the desired Pokemon like this…" Juniper aligned the device with the startled Zukua's eyes, and in a flash, the device started beeping and registering all the information on Azumi's trusted Pokémon, then reciting it out loud in a computerized voice.

_"Absol has the ability to foretell the coming of natural disasters. It lives in a harsh, rugged mountain environment. This Pokémon rarely ventures down from the mountains." _

Juniper chuckled slightly as both Azumi and Zukua looked at each other in bemusement. "Yes it is quite fascinating how this all works, isn't it?" She handed the PokeDex back to Azumi.

"Now since I am not giving you a starter like I would with most trainers, I'll help you out by letting you scan my two loyal lab assistants, Oshowatt and Minnico. You guys ready?"

Two little Pokémon, one which resembled a mouse and another bearing a likeness to a sea otter, came out from the other room and waddled over to the professor's side.

"Oh right, thank you." Azumi mumbled as she quickly registered the two other Pokémon. Zukua salivated slightly as he realized he hadn't been wrong in scoping the place for a meal, fantasizing at how a normal type and a water type would taste… together.

After doing their job, Juniper gave Oshowatt and Minnico a berry and a pat on the head each before sending them off into the other room once more. Zukua panted, glaring after their disappearing apparatuses, wishing desperately he could hunt them down.

"It also might be of help to you to get information on both Snivy and Tepig before you leave. Other than Minnico, you won't run into these Pokémon in the wild, but since you have seen them and been in their presence, it wouldn't hurt to have that information handy."

Azumi nodded, although she really had no intention of doing so. She wouldn't let the professor onto this fact, however, for Juniper had been nothing but helpful to her in these past two days.

"Well… I suppose this is it!" Juniper grabbed Azumi in an unexpected, tight embrace. She felt Azumi stiffen at her sudden hold, but didn't let go. _If only I had been able to say a proper goodbye to her parents… if only I could have found the cure… I feel responsible for their daughter… and now I'm letting her out of my sights too. _Juniper released Azumi from her arms. "Please, be careful. Once you reach Nacrene, go to the museum and see if they can restore that fossil I gave you. It can't hurt to have as many Pokémon by your side as humanely possible."

Azumi quietly thanked Juniper the best she could, though she wasn't quite sure how to outwardly express her gratitude. With one last nod, Azumi and her absol walked out of the lab.

**_There's no turning back now._**

* * *

><p><strong><em>T<em>**_he next chapter is in progress, though saying as my semester starts soon, I don't know how much time I'll have to devote to this or anything else on this website. Hopefully I can make time._


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